Saturn Story

Let me start of by saying that this is the first time I've read the
Saturn newsgroup, and I'm pretty happy with what I've seen. Compared
to other vehicle groups the Saturn group is low on "my car sucks"
postings. It looks like most of the trouble posts are from owners of
cars that are getting up there in age, which I suppose you'd expect.

I also have to throw out the fact that I love my 2002 SL1. I got
married a little over two years ago and have been making a long haul
to work since then. My car is about to roll up 98,000 miles, and
outside of routine maintenance, I've had no troubles. I'm still on
the original tires, go Firestone!

Anyway, I recently had my car in to the dealer to have the front
rotors machined and new pads installed. While I was waiting, I looked
around at the '04 Ion's as we're thinking about replacing my wife's
'01 Kia Rio (junk). The salesman pointed out that they've been taking
pictures people who buy new Saturns. A woman I work with recently
bought a new VUE and I noticed her picture on the wall.

When I got back to work, I had to tell my coworker I saw her picture
on the wall at the dealership. Another woman sitting nearby overheard
us talking about our Saturns. She chimed in to tell us that her
fairly-recent L200 has been nothing but trouble for her: new a/c
compressor, new transmission, engine trouble, etc. She then said
she'd never buy another Saturn again.

At some point during the conversation, she mentioned that she bought
her Saturn used. I said, "maybe the prior owners got rid of it
because it was a lemon."

She replied, "I bought it as a used rental car."

 

Stilgar[bbs.isca.uiowa.edu] wrote:
[snip]

And this is when you looked at her and said something to the effect of
"duh" ?

Who knows if the rental co even bothered to change the oil or plugs or
(pick your filter)? Why should they? Its cheaper not to do any
maintence you don't have to. They'll get rid of the car two, three
years after its model year - most engines will last that long without
changing the oil. What kind of maintence, if any, has _she_ kept up with?

In general, that many things simply don't go wrong that quick in modern
cars unless they've been abused. Sorry if you like your co-worker, but
she's ignorant and should consider taking the bus instead of bitching
about Saturn.

There was a thread started a couple of months ago about high milers.
I've been impressed how people have kept their cars in what sounds like
excellent shape for many many miles.

-rj
98SL2

 

Dude, rental cars rock!*

*(If you're renting them)

Otherwise? They suck. I mean, come on, who doesn't abuse the snot out
of rental cars. They're *rentals*. If it breaks 5 months from now?
Whoopie. It's not your car. It's probbably not even within 500 miles
of you.